The 1st MS Security Patch In 2015

January 26, 2015 — Leave a comment

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Well, hell, it is about time. Why did we have to wait so long? To tell the absolute truth, we do not have a clue. Yet, for what is worth, Microsoft has closed the security door opened by Google. To be quite honest, Google has not done anything wrong, it just warned about the serious security flaw in Windows 8.

On the other hand, Microsoft was obviously hit straight into its most serious nerve. Microsoft replied that Google worries too much about its competitors, rather and more than its own customers. Then, we had to wait for more than four months to get this security patch in order to have careless dreams.

At the same Google has troubles of its own with the Android 5.0, or better known as the Lollipop. However, it is obviously easier to deal with other people’s problems, than your own, isn’t it? In addition, Microsoft just could not have issued a security patch for a single issue, regardless of its seriousness.

So, what is going to happen now? Are we to expect that Microsoft is to strike back? How? Well, it can find some vulnerability in Google’s system in return. In the meantime, while these two IT giants play their vanity games, we the users, still have to tremble. Does it really have to be this way? For real?

iPhone 6 Minus

January 24, 2015 — Leave a comment

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Here is a story, you can easily use to make the next big Hollywood summer hit. There was a crew in China, which managed to dig a tunnel not longer than a single meter into the iPhone warehouse. As a result, these guys got their hands on more than $200,000 worth of merchandise. Can you do the math?

How many iPhones, you have to steal to reach this amount? If one is to cost $600, that is more than 3,000 models. Or, maybe we are not good at math. Honestly speaking, we are too lazy to get a calculator. Either way, an entire iPhone store was on the street with a much affordable and hard to resist offer. Right?

What happened to the thieves? Did they manage to get away with it, eventually? Well, these guys are in prison. This is how we can tell you this story, in the first place. They were reckless in the most unimaginable way. They were buying cars, gold and spending in the night clubs like crazy. What was the result?

The police first located the stolen iPhones thanks to their serial numbers. On the other hand, La Vida Loca boys were the easy catch for the cops. At the end of their tunnel was not the light of profit, but rather the prison darkness. What is the moral of this story? Sell the movie rights, what else could it be.

The SmartBed

January 24, 2015 — Leave a comment

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The CES or the Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas has just announced that we have one more member of our growing smart family. Among other things and gadgets, from now on, you can sleep in a smart bed. Actually, your kids can be privileged to dream sweet electronic dreams. What is this all about?

Well, in plain English, a smart bed is a bed with a brain of its own. By using your smartphone or tablet, you can connect and check what is going with your sleeping beauties and princes. Your smart bed will be able to monitor all crucial elements for a careless dream and give you appropriate notifications.

On the other hand, youncan adjust additional lights and angles of your kids’ bed. All functions are fully automatized and adjustable. It is a great thing to have a piece of furniture, which can follow your nocturnal activities in an appropriate way. There is only one thing left to be asked. Can you guess what it is?

Well, how much is going to cost to have your own guardian angel at night? You will have to pay more than $1,000 to get it, that is for sure. For the families with more than children this can be a serious investment. What do you think? Does a good night’s sleep has a price for you? Or maybe, it is truly priceless.

Bad Apps

January 22, 2015 — Leave a comment

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Is there such a thing as a bad app? Well, it is hard to tell. Why? On the one hand, you newbie apps, which are jumping out in an unprecedented number. On the other hand, it all comes down to the matter of your personal preferences. However, some apps are really the bad ones. No question about it.

Here is a quick overview of the most notorious ones. Unfortunately, this list can never be a final one. Girls Around Me is not a nice thing, if you are a girl whose movement is being tracked by an app. What about the app called Me So Holly? It shows you how would you look like a Jesus. The Door of Hope is not what you think.

This app tries to cure your homosexuality in 60 days. In addition, do you really want to know Who Is Jew? This app included a list of celebrity names for such a purpose. I Am Rich app allowed you to brag around for a symbolic price of only $999,99. With the Phone Story you could see how it looks making a phone in the third world country.

So, why are we telling you this story about the controversial apps? Well, there is no such a thing as a bad app police. That is why you have to keep your eyes open and alarm the cyber community as soon as you see one. There is no more efficient way to ensure the removal of a harmful app, than through a powerful public criticism. Have you seen one?

Matrix Unloaded

January 21, 2015 — Leave a comment

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What is wrong with these guys? What is the catch with this rage-against-the-machines attitude? Stephen Hawking and Elon Musk, among other Terminator haters, are dead worried about the possible implications of the AI and highly advanced robots in our lives. Have they seen too many movies?

We do not even dare to claim that at some point in time we will not witness the SkyNet scenario more or less. However, our sarcasm and fully revealed bitter tone have quite a practical cause. While we are examining various SF scenarios our friendly neighbors hackers are having the time of their cyber lives.

To tell you the truth, one efficient computer virus is a more serious reason for our deepest concern, than an entire army of Terminators. Why do you think that the Terminator in a real life situation will have time or nerves to chase you around? Why? He will soon figure out what needs to be done.

You can rest assured that our worst case scenario Terminator will gladly trade all of his weapons for some basic hacking skills. While we are thinking and predicting big, some hacker busy little bees are rocking small. Do you remember how The War Of The Worlds eventually ends? Read it again guys.

Virus vs Virus

January 20, 2015 — Leave a comment

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What do you know, it turns out that there are two completely different types of viruses, which live in the different parts of our smartphones. On the one side, we have the good old cyber viruses, which like to move inside our shiny little gadgets we hold so dear and sometimes literally precious.

On the other side, you should be fully aware that there are some unwanted guests, which like to set up a camp on our smartphone’s surface. Both of them are equally dangerous and harmful for our health. The cyber viruses can seriously influence your mental health once they get into your smartphone.

When it comes to the living viruses, you cannot imagine what your smartphone represents for them. There is no more suitable surface for all kinds of the most serious viruses and bacteria you can possibly think about than your beloved smartphone. So, what is the moral of this story? What can we do about it?

Well, for what is worth, we should be equally careful about both sides of protection from the inside and on the outside. It is a nice thing to install and run an efficient antivirus software on your smartphone. However, you should also clean the extremely compromised surface every now and then. Right?

The Positive Collateral Damage

January 18, 2015 — Leave a comment

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We just cannot close the final chapter of our controversial and intriguing story about the Interview, can we? Here is the latest news. In some strange and quite an unorthodox way, it turns out that this was a win-win situation for both parties. How could this be? Well, it is surprisingly simple and obvious.

On the one side, we have the North Korea, which was able to demonstrate both willingness and capacity in order to protect the image if their indisputable leader. In addition, the North Korean cyber capacities have been underestimated and even ridiculed, for quite some time. What happened?

The notorious hacker’s group called the Bureau 121 proved them all wrong. On the other side, Sony Pictures had a unique opportunity to enjoy itself in a free advertising on a global scale. They just could not ask for a better chance to promote their newest film than this annoying hacking trouble, could they?

When you put the things in this way, it seems that actually no one got hurt. However, this is not entirely true. Sony has some questions to ask about its cyber security system. The North Korean regime is in a serious trouble, if a movie can shake its foundations. Maybe, this was a lose-lose situation.

Permissions = Troubles

January 17, 2015 — Leave a comment

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Here is how the absolute majority of all cyber troubles begins for us. We like to install new apps. We hate to check a permissions list. You either do not have time or nerves to do it for each app you are about to install. Some busy little bees have done us a huge favor. Check out the infographic we included in this post.

Does this ring a bell? As you can see, it is not such a big deal, if an antivirus app asks for dozens of permissions. We can see a reason in that. In order to work properly an antivirus software needs to move freely inside your smartphone. Right? It would be crazy to deny or limit the full access for this app.

However, we are really having some difficulties in understanding why some of the most popular social network apps demand the wide scope of authorizations. For example, you have Facebook, WhatsApp, Viber, or Skype, which literally breathe down the neck of any antivirus app in the number of required permissions.

As always, it all comes down to you and your choices you have to make, this way or another, sooner or later. If a certain app asks too many and quite unusual permissions, then you have to ask yourself for a moment, do you really need this app, in the first place. Too many permissions. Not enough privacy.

PoC Schock

January 16, 2015 — Leave a comment

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We have already written about the extremely problematic security flaw with the Windows 8.1, which allows a hacker to gain administrative privileges in an almost undetectable way. To make things even worse for Microsoft the busy little bee, who has discovered this trouble, published the PoC, as well.

The PoC is actually the Proof of Concept, which gives you a step-by-step guide how to do it yourself. In the meantime, Microsoft has come up with a patch to fix this annoying problem. However, this meantime actually took three months to happen. Why? Is it a really complicated problem? What could it be?

For what is worth, Microsoft has to offer a solution for more than platform. That is why you cannot build a Rome in a day. On the other hand, some comments have pointed out that it was not an advisable thing to publish this vulnerability with the PoC. Microsoft would have reacted either way. Right?

This one comes without saying, that is for sure. We should be also aware what is happening in our brave new IT world. It seems that we are not as safe as we thought we are. We should not discourage the future cyber whistleblowers under any circumstances. Otherwise, we will end up living in the dark of harmful cyber ignorance.

The Death Red Star

January 14, 2015 — Leave a comment

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What in a world is that? Well, prepare yourself for some more mind blowing surprises made in North Korea. For quite some time, we have neglected and even underestimated the North Korean cyber capacities. Now, all of these hit us back like a boomerang. There are no more amateurs in the cyber universe.

The Red Star is a cloned OS from A to Z, and what is even more important fully controlled by the state itself. Although, the Red Star OS strongly resembles Microsoft’s Windows, it is actually based entirely on Linux. So, what do you know the North Koreans know how to develop an entire OS.

Impressive? Whatever you think or do about this one, just do not say anything against their leader. Otherwise, you can end up like Sony Pictures. Because of the Interview movie, they are trembling because of the constant cyber attacks conducted by the notorious government group the Bureau 121.

The next thing you know the North Koreans will come up with the Internet of their own. One of the serious rumors has it that China and Russia have the “national” Internet fully operational and ready to be launched at any given moment. Can North Korea join this big boys club for real? Let us see.